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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

IT WAS A LONG HOT SUMMER

It's been 6 months since I last blogged. Haven't been traveling but have been busy.

In August, I was diagnosed with diabetes and have been on medication after failing to get my numbers right with diet alone. It's a constant battle but I'm getting smarter about the disease and better at picking the right foods to keep my numbers down. I've had a couple of bad spikes where I thought I would have to call for help but I'm learning how to tell when I'm plummeting into hypoglycemia and eat to bring me up out of it.

It's kind of a scary thing, this disease. Constant monitoring of my blood and constant planning what to eat is a challenge. However, the instant bio-feedback that the test strips provide is a great help to me. I test before and after every meal and have learned what foods to avoid. Have even lost a little weight in the process which makes me very happy.

During all of this medical drama, I have been crafting and getting an inventory ready for a showing in May. My artwork can be seen on my other blog titled "YaYa's Back Porch Studio."

I'm enjoying this new endeavor and excited about seeing the fruits of my labor every time I complete a piece of art. I built the website and may put a shopping cart on it eventually. However, I plan on selling my work at the Island Wide Garage Sale on Grand Isle in May. I have sold items every year with much success and hope to find a market for the work I am now doing.

Experienced another hurricane... this one named Issac. Had some roof damage and water in my house. Everything is fixed now and hope we don't have another one for a long time. My outside house generator was not working so I slept in the motorhome with the generator running all night. I had never done that before and worried all night long if I would run out of gas. I didn't. The house generator is now getting fixed by Lowe's and should be delivered sometime this week. Then I'll be able to remain in my home for the next storm.

Rescued two kitty cats and placed one in a loving home and kept the other one for me. I named her Ali Cat. So I'll now be traveling with 3 cats and a dog.

I've been homebound for 6 months and am ready for some traveling. Now that it's cooler, I 've come back to the beach at Grand Isle for awhile. Also want to visit the Paragon Casino in Marksville, LA as they have an RV Park. Have heard a lot of good about their accomodations. Then in December will be going back to Port Aransas on the Texas Gulf Coast. Hope to stay a month or two and might go down to South Padre Island. Don't have any further plans for January or February but will probably return to the beach here at home for a few weeks.

Have been thinking about trading in my Coachmen Freedom Express on a Class B Pleasure Way Van. Did some negotiating with a dealer in Gainesville, Florida during the last few months and may drive down there in January. When I first started looking at motorhomes I really wanted a Class B and now I think it's time to trade in the Class C and my conversion van and have only one vehicle in the diveway. This is the unit I am looking at.

2005 Pleasure-Way Excel

So that's what I've been up to all these months. Xi Shi and I can't wait to get back on the road again.

Me and Xi at my 65th surprise birthday party.

I arrived at my friend Pat's house on Grand Isle today after lunch and he fixed a few things that needed attention on the RV. Then he let me drive his 4 wheeler around the island and said I can use it anytime I want.

Xi and I stopped at the Marina on our way in and took a walk on the beach. She went for a swim and put on her happy face. She loves the beach. The weather is still pretty warm so I may go for a swim tomorrow.

It was so good to see the Gulf again.

Xi made friends with one of Pat's cats who wasn't too sure what to make of her friendliness.

Tomorrow we may go to a different RV park that we've never been to.

Had a great day and spent the evening with a dear friend who cooked me a steak and let me hook up to his electricity. Life is good.

16 comments:

Hi, welcome back to blogging. Sorry to hear about your health problems, as you said it can be a challenge to keep everything regulated. My daughter has moved to South Padre Island and I will be volunteering/workamping nearby at the Laguna Atascosa NWR in November and December - then I don't know where I am heading after that.

Hi Teri... I may get down to South Padre Island this winter. If so, I'll stop by the NWR. I'm meeting friends in Port Aransas but do want to travel further down the Gulf Coast. I was down there a long time ago - in the 1970s but remember little of it. Good to hear from you.

welcome back!! Sorry about your health, but at least you are doing the right things for yourself. The new kitty is really cute. I'm glad Issac wasn't worse for you..water in the house is bad enough though. Take care.

Hi Cyn... Thanks for the welcome. I think this diagnosis was a good thing for me as I was not eating right and felt ill a lot of the time. Now I'm on the right track and hope to have more energy on this new regime. I can no longer indulge in my favorite foods but am getting used to that. Diabetes runs in my family and I was hypoglycemic for 20 years so I should have been more careful in my choice of foods. Now that I have converted to diabetes it has been a wakeup call and I am taking it seriously. I've always known that sugar is the enemy and now can see that it is virtually in EVERYTHING. However, there are ways to still enjoy mealtime. Good to hear from you.

Hi Lucy and Loree... It's good to be back and good to hear from you. I really missed the Gulf and will be posting more photos of our time here on the island. I'm way behind on reading blogs but will try and catch up soon.

Welcome back. I"m going to look at your other site with your artwork. Good luck with your sales. Pay close attention to your health because diabetes is a difficult disease to control but it is possible.

Hi Janice... Thanks for the best wishes. I really enjoy doing my crafting and it has helped me through this rough time with my elevated blood sugar and new diet. It keeps my mind occupied and my hands busy. Diabetes is a horrible disease. It brings me so close to "coma" status which is so frightening. And the only thing that really helps is diet. I'm taking meds which helps but I want to eventually get off of them and do it on diet alone. I'm learning a great deal about the disease and know that you have to be smart about it or it will kill you. Thanks for stopping by.

I was so happy to see your post pop up on my blog roll! I'm really sorry about your diagnosis of diabetes, but it sounds like you're getting it under control. I hope it gets easier for you as time goes on, and the weight loss is at least a side benefit. You'll probably end up healthier than ever!

You sound happy and busy and making all kinds of plans. I'm looking forward to future posts! :)

Hi Barbara... Yes, I am pretty happy these days. I really enjoy making plans and spend lots of time during the summer months thinking of future travels in the winter time.

I received your email inquiry but it does not show up on my blog as a comment. Don't know why that is. Was it you that sent the email??? Anyway, to answer your question, go to the top of the website page and click on the individual pages labeled by items, which have all of the prices indicated.

Hi Linda! So sorry to hear about your diabetes, what a bummer, but you have the best attitude and that means everything.....you are studying and learning and working on your diet PLUS you see the positive side of the diagnosis! You rock girlfriend. I love the pix of Xi and can't wait to introduce Edna.

Hi Chris... It's so good to be back out and about. We're here on the island at Pat's house and he has cooked every meal for me so far so it's really hard to leave. However, I want to stay at a couple of different campgrounds this trip so I've got to get going. Xi is so excited to be here. I love watching her on the beach. I think often of the time we spent camping on the beach in Port Aransas last winter and looking forward to returning. Little Edna sure is a cutie. Makes me want to get another Shih Tzu. Good to hear from you.

PLACES I'VE BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES

PLACES I'VE BEEN IN CANADA

ABOUT ME

I was born in Texas but raised in Louisiana and have lived most of my adult life in Houma, Louisiana.

I entered college at the age of 32, having spent my 20s traveling around the country living the hippie lifestyle. It took me 12 years to finally complete my formal education and received a BA in Psychology, an MA in Psychological Counseling, and a PhD in Human Services.

For over 25 years I worked in the field of Mental Health as a Counselor/Therapist and Social Services Program Director. I burned out after the first 3.

For the last 7 years of my employment I ran my own Academic Tutoring Center out of my home, which I enjoyed a great deal. I retired in 2008 and married my business partner who passed away in 2010.

So now I am free for the first time since I was a young girl. Free to not have to work to support myself as I am receiving monthly Widow's Benefits and am careful to stay on budget. I'm free to travel in my motorhome and have new experiences and make new friends.

Just sold some property and will have a little extra to travel with. So, now with my 3 cats and 2 Shih Tzus - I'm ready to go.

After spending over 12 years in college, obtaining 3 degrees, and having my head filled with all that book learning - I can leave it all behind me now and go back to find the old me... the me that believed in magic. Not superstitious magic but the magic of reality.